Month: March 2018

When it comes to going all out during the Oscars, nobody does it quite like Gavin Keilly and his GBK Productions company. This 2018 Oscar season the gifting suite impresario pulled out all the stops and the stars really loved it.

The 2018 GBK Annual Pre-Oscar Celebrity Lounge happened March 2-3 in the heart of Beverly Hills, on Rodeo Drive at the elegant, three-story St. Supery Winery Tasting Room. Big stars streamed through the doors, to be greeted by winemaker Michael Sholz, who offered tastes of his lovely Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon to start the fun of visiting a plethora of interesting people with products on offer.

Susan Sarandon was one of the many celebrities that made the trek to Beverly Hills for the 2018 GBK Annual Pre-Oscar Celebrity Lounge on March 2-3, 2018. Photo courtesy GBK.

The gifting suite was chockablock with Oscar luminaries, both recent winners like Viola Davis, who also presented at the 90th Academy Awards on March 4, to Susan Sarandon, who took home the Best Actress prize back in 1996 and has been nominated four other times. Both women were especially enamored of the gorgeous Diamonds International/Tanzanite International jewelry on display; and Sarandon obviously enjoyed the luscious Bouvery LC dark chocolate vodka that went down like a dream, comes in a beautiful bottle and costs $40 for 375ml (better buy two, this stuff is liquid decadence).

Plenty of 2018 Oscar nominees made the rounds, too, including Doug Jones, who stars as the sea creature in “The Shape of Water,” the film that eventually won Best Picture. He was fascinated by the stylish General Electric C by GE Sol circular light, which illuminates a room with various lighting hues and features an Amazon Alexa connection as well. We’ll admit it, that thing is pretty damn cool.

Composer Alexandre Desplat, winner of two Oscars and honored with a total of nine nominations, enjoyed the Italian delicacies cooked up by Il Palato, the lounge’s presenting sponsor. With everything from risotto balls and lasagna to the best panettone you’ve ever tasted, this international dining club filled up everyone’s tummies and offered lucky stars a complete private dinner for 16 people, cooked right in their homes. “Star Wars” favorite Mark Hamill might need to invite a few Wookies to help him eat everything that the talented chefs at Il Palato cook up, but he seemed ready for that challenge.

“Star Wars” might describe one of the other companies at the GBK Pre-Oscar Celebrity Lounge, as My Sky Moment offered printouts suitable for framing of the night sky on the exact moment of a momentous life occasion. We picked our birthday, but bet that stars like Wes Studi, Thora Birch and Tom Arnold might have commemorated the date of the first job they ever got in Hollywood.

As always, The Artisan Group was one of the most in-demand stops at the GBK lounge. The group, a consortium of artisanal artists, craftspeople and other creative times, gifted a bag full of homemade products ranging from Fizz Candy Jewelry to all-natural shaving products from Three Sisters Apothecary. There were candles, a perfume-blending kit and more inside that big black bag.

For celebs like ex-NBA pro basketball player and current L.A. Clippers coach Doc Rivers, who might just have a few nagging aches and pains at this point, the coMra Palm device was a really interesting offering. Designed to ease pain with laser technology, the handheld device also repairs injured tissue and nerves. Seriously, if this thing actually works, it’s a real godsend for anyone in pain! Also looking to help celebs stay healthy was Shapa, a modern scale that uses an app to motivate you toward better lifestyle choices, without that pesky weight readout every morning. Instead, you stand on it and it steers you toward healthier living via the app.

And the most sublime gift given out was a decadent one: John Kelly Chocolates, that award-winning chocolatier located right in Los Angeles, handed out small boxes of the most elegant, delicious handmade chocolate you’ve ever tasted. We wonder how many of the super-slim stars actually ate those?

Follow Jenny Peters on Twitter @jennpeters and on Instagram @jetsetjen1

Celebrating the 14th anniversary of the play ‘Jesucristo Vive – La Pasión’ (JESUSCHRIST LIVES -THE PASSION) it has become the biggest and most traditional play about Christ’s Passion in Southern California.

“Jesucristo Vive – La Pasión” will be playing in the City of Industry, March 16 -18. The play is in Spanish and is a huge production featuring more than 200 actors on stage as well as live animals, and audience participation.

The plays positive message is of Christ’s love to all generations and to encourage the development of faith, and freedom of religious expression. “Jesucristo Vive – La Pasión” brings together people of various religious faiths and non believers to celebrate the Holy Week.

This play showcases the particular story of Jesus’ journey, his apprehension and crucifixion.

Today the play is of major importance. With the immigrant community affected by the government decisions about DACA and TPS. “Jesucristo Vive- La Pasion” brings a positive message of strength in times of adversity.

“Jesucristo Vive – La Pasión” also aims to be an immediate positive contribution to our community. A portion of every ticket sold will benefit the non-profit organization Padres Contra el Cancer (Parents Against Cancer) (http://www.iamhope.org/) using code PADRES.

Today, Christopher Street West (CSW), the 501(c)3 non-profit that produces the annual LA Pride Festival and Parade, is excited to announce that R&B sensation Kehlani and international pop star Tove Lo will headline the 2018 LA Pride Festival, owning the festival’s Park Stage on Saturday, June 9 and Sunday, June 10, respectively. These provocative female artists mark the first wave of performers being announced for this year’s LA Pride Festival, making its anticipated return to West Hollywood Park again this year.

Allison Janney enjoys a night out at Cadillac’s Annual Oscar Week Celebration held at the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles on March 1, 2018. Photo courtesy Cadillac.

By Jenny Peters

There are so many parties leading up to the Oscars that it’s tough to choose where to go on any given night; but Oscar awards season just wouldn’t be complete without a stop at Cadillac’s Annual Oscar Week Celebration bash held at the Chateau Marmont. This year’s party definitely didn’t disappoint, as nominees and other famous faces flocked to the scene on March 1, 2018, to schmooze a little, drink a little and generally have a little fun out on the town.

Cadillac has been a key sponsor of the Oscars for five years (thus this annual celebration) and unveiled three new ad spots during the Academy Awards telecast, focusing on performance, technology and the future of Cadillac vehicles.

Sarah Silverman, one of the many Hollywood stars attending the Cadillac Annual Oscar Week Celebration held at the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles on March 1, 2018. Photo courtesy Cadillac.

Our favorite frontrunner, Allison Janney (who eventually took home the best supporting actress Oscar on Sunday for her incredible performance in “I, Tonya”), led the pack, decked out in an Oscar-gold jumpsuit that made her stand out in the packed crowd. It doesn’t hurt that she is six feet tall, too, and was even taller in her strappy gold Jimmy Choo “Lance” sandals!

Tiffany Haddish and Aisha Tyler have fun together at Cadillac’s Annual Oscar Week Celebration held at the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles on March 1, 2018. Photo courtesy Cadillac.

Other nominees who wandered through the Chateau’s gardens and crowded into the inside front bar/parlor area (it was a chilly night) included Martin McDonagh, the director/writer whose “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” garnered seven Academy Award nominations, including his for original screenplay and best picture, as well as song composer Benj Pasek, nominated for “The Greatest Showman” and Bryan Fogel, who later took home the Oscar for best documentary with “Icarus.”

Danny Huston made the Chateau Marmont scene at both the Cadillac Annual Oscar Week Celebration and The Gersh Agency Oscar Party held in Los Angeles on March 1, 2018. Photo courtesy Cadillac.

“I produced ‘Dirt,'” Moore, who also stars in the off-road racing saga, said with a happy grin. “It’s coming out from Warner Bros. this week! It was incredible to work on this one with them, especially since I convinced all the big racing sponsors – think Rockstar, Geico – to be a part of our movie. I had no idea how complicated that was, until I did it.” Kevin Dillion and DeRon Horton co-star with Moore in the action-packed flick.

The packed party scene at Cadillac’s Annual Oscar Week Celebration held at the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles on March 1, 2018. Photo courtesy Cadillac.

Missi Pyle’s “Traffik” hits theaters in late April; that one’s an intense thriller that co-stars Paula Patton and Omar Epps. And she’s really excited about her new YouTube Red TV series “Impulse.” “I play the mother of a teenage girl who has the ability to teleport,” she explained. “It’s created by Doug Liman – he did ‘Swingers’ and ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith’ – and based on a film he did called ‘Jumper.’ He wanted to revisit it, which is how the series came about. It’s really a fascinating premise.”

The Chateau was actually a hotbed of parties on that Thursday night, as The Gersh Agency celebrated their A-list clients’ nominations (that powerhouse talent agency represents Allison Janney, Sam Rockwell and Richard Jenkins, among a host of others) in the sixth-floor penthouse and patio. Allison, Sam and Richard made the scene late into the evening – despite Allison’s complaint that “shooting ‘Mom’ at 7 a.m. tomorrow is going to be rough” – but how often in a career are you celebrating an Oscar nomination? As we say, “we can sleep when we are dead.”

Also making the Gersh party a place where the stars outnumbered the common folk were Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie (also a 2018 Oscar nominee), Danny Huston, Melanie Lynskey and her fiancé Jason Ritter, Adam Driver, Angela Bassett, John Slattery, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Bibb and Walton Goggins, who looked incredibly tan and relaxed and ready to ride the reboot of “Tomb Raider” along with co-star Alicia Vikander into theaters on March 16, 2018.

All in all, it was an Oscar week evening that actually met – and exceeded the hype!

Follow Jenny Peters on Twitter @jennpeters and on Instagram @jetsetjen1

Serena Williams enters the court as adoring fans cheer and snap her photo at the Desert Smash charity tennis event in La Quinta, Calif., on March 6, 2018. Photo courtesy of David Burrows.

Stars from tennis and entertainment met for some fun in the desert at the 14th annual Desert Smash event held on March 6, 2017, at the La Quinta Resort & Club, a Waldorf Astoria Resort, in La Quinta, California. The big winners were the fans in attendance and the two charities that received the proceeds from the enjoyable day.

J. B. Smoove, Boris Kodjoe and Omar Miller yuk it up on the red carpet at the Desert Smash charity tennis event in La Quinta, Calif., on March 6, 2018. Photo courtesy of David Burrows.

While many big names contributed their time, none shone brighter than 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams, who hosted the event and played for Yetunde Price Resource Center, a charity she founded with sister Venus to honor their eldest sister who was killed in an act of violence in 2003.

Sam Querrey, Hyeon Chung and the Bryan Brothers exchange handshakes at the net after their doubles exhibition at the Desert Smash charity tennis event in La Quinta, Calif., on March 6, 2018. Photo courtesy of David Burrows.

Tennis Channel presented the event and Brett Haber, one of their popular studio hosts, acted as emcee for the matches. Before any of the tennis action took place, Haber introduced the stars on the court. Boris Kodjoe, Colton Haynes, Omar Miller, Bart Conner, Nadia Comaneci, Jason Collins, Donna Mills, Lisa Leslie, Dr. Phil McGraw and Luis Guzman were all ready for some fun tennis games.

Boris Kodjoe prepares to serve as partner Victoria Azarenka patrols the net at the Desert Smash charity tennis event in La Quinta, Calif., on March 6, 2018. Photo courtesy of David Burrows.

Things started off with a genuine, high-level exhibition when the Bryan Brothers, the greatest doubles team of all time, faced off against fellow pros Sam Querrey and Hyeon Chung. Comedian and actor J. B. Smoove was on the microphone and in the umpire’s chair for the short match.

Later, Haber introduced Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka. Both former champions and world number one players are returning to the pro tour after each gave birth to their first child. Actor Boris Kodjoe, currently starring in CBS’ “Code Black,” partnered with Azarenka in doubles. Their opponents were Williams and Colton Haynes, best known for his roles on “Teen Wolf,” “Arrow” and “American Horror Story: Cult.”

The chair umpire and master of heckling was comedian Wanda Sykes. Kodjoe was a competitive juniors player and he founded Sophie’s Voice Foundation, the other charity that benefited from the event. Haynes has some game as well, so the quick mini-set featured some competitive, yet light-hearted action.

The rest of the celebrities got in on the fun as a variety of on-court games took place involving catching a ball in a can and hitting targets across the net. Haber encouraged fans to make donations in exchange for being able to participate in the on-court shenanigans.

Colton Haynes and Serena Williams share a moment on the tennis court at the Desert Smash charity tennis event in La Quinta, Calif., on March 6, 2018. Photo courtesy of David Burrows.

Jenny Peters and Andy J. Gordon

The final match was a short singles exhibition between Querrey and Chung. They played a quick tiebreaker and showed off some of the skills that have made them both top 20 players in the world.

Later that night, a big party took place in the La Quinta Fiesta Ballroom. The event was hosted by Desert Smash event sponsors Tesla, Tennis Channel and El Tequileño Tequila. Music by Beats by Dre talents DJ Millie, DJ Bob Sinclar and Hundred Handed kept the guests moving. It was an awfully attractive crowd of tennis pros, celebs and entertainment stars at this hugely successful 14th annual Desert Smash, which kept on going well into the night. Seems as if everyone loves to party hearty for a good cause!

Tonight, we’re looking at a lot of tears. A LOT. And these are some seriously emotional readings for Tyler Henry, as well. Tune into Tyler Henry doing a reading for Giuliana Rancic it will come as a complete shock to everyone!

Then “Flip or Flop” star Christina El Moussa totally flips out on an interesting reveal. And watch as “American Housewife” star Katy Mixon sits with Tyler Henry and he helps her work through some major childhood trauma.

And finally, what a thrill to watch Tyler Henry help the amazing and talented “Empire” star Taye Diggs as he goes head to head with some long buried family skeletons.

It’s always a party at Doris Bergman’s Oscar Style Lounge – at least it has been every year since the annual event began ten years ago – and her 2018 pre-Academy Awards celebration held (as usual) at the Fig & Olive restaurant did not disappoint.

It was a perfect Saturday (on February 24, 2018) to spend sipping the beautiful bubbly Blanc de Blancs Brut Reserva Anna de Codorniu Spanish Cava that event host BUYWINE.com poured, which paired perfectly with the luscious brunch served inside the restaurant. Out on the patio, that Sonoma Valley-based online resource, which offers not only information and education on wine, but also the worldwide restaurants and destinations where the best wines are found and a one-stop shop to buy wine, was pouring and gifting bottles of 2014 Stonehedge Winery Reserve Chardonnay, a lovely oaky, smooth wine.

Vodka lovers found a new brand to sample, too, as Precious Vodka presented their wheat-based, six-time distilled smooth-as-silk vodka. That medal-winning quaff brought a serious luxury feel to the Doris Bergman’s Oscar Style Lounge, with its unique diamond-shaped bottle that includes a precious gem resting in the top point of the bottle – we took home one with a sapphire in it!

Actor Matt Murray of the TV series “9JKL” with CJS Pet Staycation at the 10th Annual Doris Bergman’s Oscar Style Lounge on February 24, 2018, at the Fig & Olive restaurant in West Hollywood. Photo courtesy Doris Bergman.

The luxury theme at the gifting lounge went into high gear when it came to fashion, as designer Sue Wong presented not only her gorgeous Art Deco-inspired gowns as red-carpet ready choices for attendees that included last year’s Best Actress Oscar winner Viola Davis (and star of the hit ABC-TV series “How to Get Away with Murder,” but also offered her lovely line of rare perfume fragrances. Wong, who immigrated to the United States as a young girl when Mao took over China, is currently at work on her autobiography, which should prove to be a fascinating read.

Bespoke suit and tuxedo designer Art Lewin returned to the Bergman event with gifts of silk ties for the stylish men who made the scene. His bespoke menswear booth is always a popular stop for the stars looking to make a sharp statement on the awards scene; this time out, we spotted favorites like Bruce Dern, Jake Busey and Dennis Christopher discussing the current state of men’s fashion with the ultra-talented haberdasher.

Jake Busey and family visit the Olympia Luggage booth at the 10th Annual Doris Bergman’s Oscar Style Lounge on February 24, 2018, at the Fig & Olive restaurant in West Hollywood. Photo courtesy Doris Bergman.

More casual style choices were also gifted at the packed pre-Oscar lounge, as presenting sponsor Curtis & Co. presented their large-face timepieces to stars like Marilu Henner, Dot Marie Jones, Judy Tenuta and Rex Lee; Hypo Footwear and Apparel showed off their newest sneaker designs, some very cool kicks straight out of Colorado. We loved their edgy styles and wouldn’t be surprised to spot them on a red carpet sometime soon!

Celebrities’ pets even got some serious swag at the Doris Bergman’s Oscar Style Lounge, as CJ’s Pet Staycation in Carson gifted a big goodie bag packed with doggie treats, toys and gift certificates for boarding, as well as the company’s new Pampered Pets Playhouse, where grooming, doggie play dates and much more are happening.

Here is the opportunity many have been waiting for over the past three years. Rassouli is conducting a unique weekend painting retreat on March 23 thru 25, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. It includes: Five painting sessions with Rassouli – figurative painting, landscape & Inspirational – 3 days of fun, music, dance, poetry, good food – Beautiful setting complete with rustic cabins – Nighttime fun, songs, dance and story telling

This is a one-of-a-kind transformational retreat for those who are interested in expanding their creativity in painting and other mediums to make a change in their life. It is geared towards developing mastery in painting for emerging and professional artists. During this special retreat participants will benefit from Rassouli’s artistic expertise and mystical experiences in a unique form of guidance. The Weekend Retreat is held in an atmosphere filled with creative energy and camaraderie. Under his direction, every one learns how to translate their spiritual experiences from their subconscious onto the canvas.

POPSUGAR x Freeform Mermaid Museum
A Mermaid Pop-up Museum and Mermaid Selfies are coming to Hollywood at Goya Studios for 4 days at the end of March. The Mermaid Museum is part of Freeform’s upcoming series Siren and is rolling out Art Installations and Social Media backdrops and even a live mermaid in a tank.

There will be a Bristol Cove Store to check out, A mermaids tail complete with underwater garden complete with spiraling seaweed, vibrant anemones and a column of air bubbles for that perfect Instagram pic.

The Pop-up includes a 360° animated underwater projection room that submerges attendees into the depths of underwater life inspired by the waters of Bristol Cove. An ethereal soundscape enhances the atmosphere to create a multi-sensory environment.

As well as a photo-op interactive sequin scale wall recreates the scales of a mermaid tail in color-blocked fashion, creating the perfect social backdrop .